Oklahoma's medical examiner on Wednesday ruled that nonbinary teenager Nex Benedict(Sweet 16) died by suicide in a death that friends and family said came one day after a beating at school that culminated a pattern of bullying due to their gender identity.
They died on Feb. 8, a day after their family reported Benedict was beaten by students in the girls' bathroom. Benedict, who was assigned female at birth, preferred they/them pronouns with some people and he/him pronouns among close friends.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/death-beaten-oklahoma-nonbinary-teen-231154389.htmlNex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today," Biden said in a statement, adding that he and First Lady Jill Biden were "heartbroken" by the teen's death on February 8.
"Nonbinary and transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But nobody should have to be brave just to be themselves."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-mourns-nonbinary-teen-just-220215636.htmlIn states with laws targeting LGBTQ issues, school hate crimes quadrupled
School hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people have sharply risen in recent years, climbing fastest in states that have passed laws restricting LGBTQ student rights and education, a Washington Post analysis of FBI data finds.
In states with restrictive laws, the number of hate crimes on K-12 campuses has more than quadrupled since the onset of a divisive culture war that has often centered on the rights of LGBTQ+ youth.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/03/12/school-lgbtq-hate-crimes-incidents/ 